International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net Special Edition: COVID-19 Life Beyond, September 30 2020 College Youth and Their Response during COVID-19 Keshav Walkea, Email: [email protected] In India the first case of COVID 19 was reported on 30th January 2020 and as of now has the third highest number of confirmed cases in the world after the United States and Brazil. India's case fatality rate 2.49% is among the lowest in the world and recoveries exceeded active cases for the first time. In Maharashtra there are nearly one-third of the total cases in the country with fatality rate of nearly 3.55%. Nagpur in Vidarbha witnessed the first case on 11th March, and on 31st July 5392, confirmed cases with fatality rate of 2.33%. The Prime Minister appealed for public curfew on 22nd March and was followed by nationwide lockdown in three phases till May 31. Phase wise unlocking with barring affected areas started from 1st June. The purpose of the paper is to understand the problems faced by the people during COVID-19 and to present challenges and learnings for Social Work Practice through personal experiences and observations. This paper is based on observations and personal experiences during COVID 19 work with affected people through National Service Scheme programmes (NSS) conducted and coordinated in four districts under the jurisdiction of the University. The main observations are that in the beginning there was less awareness among the people, more fear of Corona and less infection. After two months from the declared onset, people became more aware of Corona, less fearful and more infected cases surfaced. I held an additional duty as part of the university’s National Service Scheme volunteer program. This paper is the result of working with the Volunteers and through them with the communities, through both online and offline responses in prevention and mitigation work around Covid 19. The challenges in this work were identified as non-cooperation from the general public, duplication and multiplication of the services, lack of ICT skills in the masses, lack of resources and limited response from Social Work Institutes. All participants which includes myself, were participant volunteers in the government program. Our personal experiences and observations taught us that usage of networking, collaborative team work and application of social work methods are very important in reaching the pre-set goals in a crisis driven pandemic community re-organisation. Key words: COVID-19, NSS, Social Work Practice, College Youth 320 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net Special Edition: COVID-19 Life Beyond, September 30 2020 Introduction The following paragraphs introduce chronological occurrence of Covid 19 cases and its spread in India, Maharashtra and in the district of Nagpur. The quick spread of the Covid is also brought out. The first case of COVID-19 was reported on 30th January 2020 in India. India currently has the largest number of confirmed cases in Asia, and has the third highest number of confirmed cases in the world after the United States and Brazil with the number of total confirmed cases breaching the 16,667,460 mark with 656,978 deaths on 28th July 2020 (WHO). India's case fatality rate as of 23 July 2020 with 2.49% is among the lowest in the world. Six cities, i.e. Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata account for around half of all reported cases in the country. India's recoveries exceeded active cases for the first time (India, 2020). The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in Maharashtra was confirmed on 9 March 2020. Maharashtra is a hotspot that accounts for nearly one-third of the total cases in India and about 40% of all deaths. As of 31 July, Maharashtra has 422118 confirmed cases with 14994 deaths and fatality rate is nearly 3.55%, which is lower than the global average but significantly higher than other Indian states (Chaudhary, 2020). On 11 March, Nagpur, witnessed first COVID-19 confirmed case of a person who returned from the United States. On 13 March, his wife and friend were also diagnosed with the virus. On 27th March there were 14 cases in Vidarbha region which includes 11 districts and the first COVID-19 death on 5th April 2020. As on 31st July 2020 there were 14975 confirmed cases and 4062 active cases with 387 (2.58%) deaths in Vidarbha. In Nagpur district on 31st July there were 5392 confirmed and 1915 active cases with 126 (2.33%) deaths. On 10th of July the fatality rate was 0.95% and within next 20 days it has reached to 2.33% (Chaitanya, 2020). On 22 March, India observed a 14-hour voluntary public curfew at the instance of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was followed by mandatory lockdowns in COVID-19 hotspots and all major cities. Further, on 24 March, the Prime Minister ordered a nationwide lockdown for 21 days, affecting the entire 1.3 billion-person population of India. On 14 April, the Indian Government extended the nationwide lockdown till 3 May which was followed by two-week extension starting 17 May with substantial relaxations. From 1 June, the government started "unlocking" the country barring affected areas ("containment zones") in three different unlock phases. Containment zones were defined by the affect and spread of COVID- 19 cases found in those geographical areas. Natural movement was restricted for people (The Indian Express Service, 2020).This national definition was utilised in the State of Maharashtra. To curb the rising number of coronavirus cases in Nagpur city a 2-day 'Janta curfew' a self- imposed lockdown or public curfew meant to encourage people to practice physical distancing, and to keep away from crowds and stay at home as much as possible began on Saturday with people displaying acceptable levels of compliance. Establishments such as standalone shops, 321 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net Special Edition: COVID-19 Life Beyond, September 30 2020 neighbourhood shops and the Government Machinery of fire, law & order, emergency services, institutions including Non-Governmental Institutions dealing in essential items like food, medicine, masks, surgical masks, sanitizers, fertilizers etc were permitted to open (Times Now Digital, 2020). Structure of the paper This paper presents an overview of the problems faced by the people during COVID-19 and deliberates on learning for social work practice through personal experiences and observations. It narrates personal experiences while working with CORONA affected people in Nagpur and the adjacent rural districts in Maharashtra namely Bhandara, Gondia and Wardha. Following the context and initial introduction to the onset of Covid in India, and Maharashtra, the paper presents its first section on the NSS program and its objectives. 1.0 National Service Scheme (NSS): The National Service Scheme (NSS) is a Central Sector Scheme of Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. NSS was started in 1969 and completed 50 years of its establishment. Today, NSS is the largest network of youth in the country and whole world and celebrating its fiftieth year of existence by involving various universities, colleges and Institutions of higher learning that have volunteered to take part in various community service initiatives. Through NSS opportunities are provided to college going young adults in the age group of 15- 25 and studying in grades 11 and 12 and others who are undertaking tertiary studies in colleges and universities. Including post graduate students in the university systems, the young have various government led community service activities & programmes for their personality development. The sole aim of the NSS is to provide hands on experience to young students in delivering community service and provide opportunities for their personality development. The grand design and Motto of the NSS is “Not Me But You” and to exhort the youth through NSS as volunteers available 24*7 in nation’s service and in diverse situations. The goal of the provision of hands on experience to the youth consists of (1). Regular Activities and (2). Special Camps is executed throughout the country (India, National Service Scheme, 2020). Under the banner of regular activities of NSS the young people spend a minimum 240 hours in a period of two years to receive certification from NSS. Regular activities are conducted by the Institutions and Colleges where they are studying may include celebration of various days of social importance such as the International Yoga Day, World Environment Day, Gandhi Birth Anniversary, Communal Harmony Day. Target base Sapling Plantation, Digital India Awareness Campaign, Mass Pledge Programmes on Tobacco Free Youth, Spitting Free India Movement, Health Check-up, Dental Check-ups in the neighbourhoods, Blood Donation 322 International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change. www.ijicc.net Special Edition: COVID-19 Life Beyond, September 30 2020 camps, Health Awareness camps, Energy Conservation, Road Safety, Open Defecation Free, Self Defence Training, Organ Donation Awareness, Save the Girl Campaign, voter awareness etc are the other activities conducted under regular activities of the NSS. Every year 50% of volunteers enrolled in a unit are expected to take part in 7-day residential Special Camps to be organized in adopted villages/slums/areas and undertake community development programme/ creation of durable assets/awareness campaign/Medical Camps/Construction of Vanrai Bhandara/Agriculture Ponds. Special Camps are organized on main themes like Clean India Campaign, Education, Health, Environment, disaster management, rural development, water management etc. Adventure Camps, Summer Mega Camps, Workshops on Life Skill Development and Career Counselling, Republic Day Parade Selection Camps are organised at State and National levels (RTM Nagpur University, 2019). Since the inception of the NSS in the year 1969, the number of students increased from 40,000 to over 4.0 million and more than 50,000 Programme Officers from more than 40,000 colleges coordinate this program through 12 Regional Directorates in the country.